PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Mike Cruz (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Simon Plant (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Simon Plant is the more experienced fighter, so let's see if that makes a difference tonight.

Cruz
vs
Plant

179 cm
18
171 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

180 cm
18
176 lbs
1 - 0 - 0

BJJ Blue Belt
Solid boxing
Inexperienced

Decent wrestler
Counter striker
Solid chin

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Mike Cruz!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 1 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Rio de Janeiro, Simon Plant!
The judges for this bout are Felipe Paraventi, Alexandre Firmino and Emerson Jorge.

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Plant throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Plant misses with a body shot. Nice footwork from Cruz.
Cruz throws a hook but Plant blocks it.
Plant moves out of range as Cruz strikes.
Plant misses with a wild body shot.
Simon Plant seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.

Plant drives through with a really nice takedown into side control.
Plant is trying to ground and pound but Cruz uses the momentary lack of control by Plant to regain half guard.
Cruz has hold of Plant's hands but Plant slips his arm to the side and lands an elbow.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plant not landing any meaningful shots this time.
Cruz won't allow Plant to pass to mount.
Plant throwing shots but Cruz is blocking nicely.
Plant stalling.
Cruz is refusing to be controlled, as Plant sits in half guard.
Plant with the ground and pound but Cruz uses the opportunity to regain guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Plant pressing down on his opponent's thigh, looking to pass guard. Cruz is keeping the position for now.
Plant wants to control from the top but Cruz keeps moving.
Cruz keeping full guard, as Plant tries to pass.
Plant with a couple of shots to the head there. Not particularly brutal.
A big thud reverberates around the arena there as Plant accidentally thumps the mat. Hopefully he's not broken his hand.
Plant looking to control the position here, rather than advance.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plant tries to free his leg and advance position but Cruz is retaining full guard.
Plant is frustrating his opponent with some stalling tactics from top position.

Simon Plant has forced the referee to step in and restart the fight on the feet.
Cruz throws a hook to the side of Plant's head but Plant sees it coming and ducks under it beautifully.
Mike Cruz is looking to keep the fight on the feet at all costs.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plant moves away from the strike by Cruz.
Plant misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz sizes up Plant with a pawing jab and scores with a straight right down the middle.
Plant throws a hook to the body but it doesn't connect.
Cruz fails to land with the punch combination there - jab, cross, hook, miss, miss, miss.
Cruz avoids the body shot from Plant.

Plant darts in and lands a nice takedown into half guard.
The crowd applaud the fighters efforts here as the round comes to an end.
Cruz blocking the ground and pound attempt from Plant.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Plant dominated that round.
OK. That's time! The bell goes and we're back to the action.

Plant misses with a body punch
enabling Cruz to counter with a crisp jab.
Plant looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
Cruz checks a leg kick.
Cruz keeping a good distance there, avoiding the body shot.
Plant moves away from the strike by Cruz.
Cruz blocks a low kick nicely.
Cruz pushing out the jab but it's not landing.
Plant misses with a wild body shot.
Cruz swings wildly with a hook that is half blocked by Plant.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plant throws a hard body shot but it just misses.
Cruz connects with a lovely right hand, straight down the pipe.
Cruz throws a jab when Plant was well out of range.

Plant feints and then dives in with a takedown. That was a long way out but the feint bought him enough time to close the distance and complete the takedown. Now we'll play guard for a bit and see who can get the better of that position.
Plant trying to pass the guard but can't manage it just yet.
Plant postures up in Cruz's guard and throws a big left but Cruz blocks it.
Cruz keeping moving, preventing Plant from controlling successfully.
There's a bit of a scramble here and now Cruz is on top in guard.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz stopping the sweep attempt from Plant.

We're going to have a standup here because Mike Cruz wasn't active enough for the referee's liking.
Cruz throws the left hand but Plant avoids the punch easily.
Cruz ducks down and throws a hook to the body but Plant moves away.
Plant misses with a hook to the body
and Cruz counters with a good right hand that lands right on the jaw.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Plant just misses with a punch to the body.
Plant avoids a lazy jab quite easily.

Cruz gets caught on his heels momentarily as he allows Plant to score an easy takedown into full guard.
Cruz is working from a closed guard but he's struggling to control his opponent.
Cruz keeping full guard, as Plant tries to pass.
Plant must be cautious of submissions here, given that his opponent has the superior Jiu Jitsu.
Cruz wants to stand and escape but Plant is having none of it.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Plant stands up and looks to throw the legs aside to pass to side control. Cruz swivels though and keeps the full guard.
Cruz is working an open guard here, looking to improve his position. No doubt that will leave him open to counters but at least he's being more offensive.
Plant seems content to control from guard here. He's going to have to remain active though if he doesn't want to get stood back up.

The referee decides to stand the fighters back up, due to lack of activity on the part of Mike Cruz.
Plant looks to score with a jab to the body but Cruz is just out of range.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Simon Plant showed his class in that round. I'd imagine he'll take it on all the scorecards.
That's the end of the interval. I'm sure that seemed a lot quicker than a minute for our two fighters! Back to the action. This is the final round!

Plant shoots in for a takedown from distance. He catches Cruz napping and manages to drive through into side control!
Cruz wants to escape from the position here - easier said than done!
You can see the frustration on Cruz's face as Plant controls the position.
Plant postures up a little and throws a couple of hammerfists but they don't connect properly.
Cruz managing to avoid any damage from the strikes thrown by Plant.
Plant landing a few strikes.
Plant lands some shots froms side control.
Plant throwing strikes but missing, from side control.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Plant cracks Cruz with a big right hand but Cruz just smiles back at him and invites him to have another go.
Cruz defending against the ground and pound.
Plant creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Cruz sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Plant is pausing for a moment. What's he doing? It looks like he's clearing his nose. Oh dude! He's shot a load of snot all down Cruz's shoulder. That is not cool.
Plant throws a strike aimed at the side of Cruz's head but Cruz avoids it well.
Plant lands a few punches from side control.
Both fighters are breathing heavily.
Plant wants to control but Cruz is keeping him busy.
Plant working the ground and pound but Cruz is defending the strikes.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Cruz avoids any damage from the ground and pound of Plant.
Plant connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cruz some visible discomfort.
Fantastic stuff here - a very entertaining period of action, which has drawn cheers from the crowd.
Plant connects with a decent looking elbow from side control that caused Cruz some visible discomfort.

Cruz is rocked!
Plant working the head with strikes.
Oh Cruz is still in real trouble! Will he be able to recover?!!
A big shot lands for Plant! That's hurt Cruz! Will he recover? Plant fires away with more strikes and the referee has to step in to stop the fight!

Ladies and gentlemen, after 2:54 of round 3, we have a winner by way of TKO (Strikes). Simon Plant!